Explosive-engine.



No. 640,7". Patented Jan. 2, I900. J. A. SECOR.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

4 Sheets-'Sheet I,

INVENTOR IQ MMZ .ATTORNEY MM. 5% M m m mm. W m /fl M .H 0 J... N N H Wnu: "ohms PETERS w. Pnmou'mo WASHINGYON, u. r

Patented Jan. 2, I900.

J. A. SECOR. EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. (Application filed I May'25, 1899.)

4 Sheets$hee 2.

(No Model.)

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIY WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY THE NORRIS PETTZRS w, wnovauma. WASHINGTON. 0. c4

No. 640,7". Patented Ian. 2, I900. J. A. SECDR.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

(Application fllad may 25, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

m: Nowms PEYERS 4-. morwuwo. WASNXNGTDN, u. c.

Patented Jan. 2, I900.

J. A. sEcoR. EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. (Application filed May 26, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

(No mow.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS 7H5. uonms PETERS co. PiO10-UYNO..WASHING7ON. u. .1

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN A. SECOR, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

EXPLOSlVE-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,71 1, dated January2, 1900.

Application filedMay 25, 1899. Serial No. 713,169- (No model.)

To all whont it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JOHN A. SEcoR, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the city and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive-Engines;and Ido hereby declare that the following is a f ull,clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is aside elevation of an explosiveengine made according to my invention.Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan View of certainparts thereof. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken in the line'. yy of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view, on a larger scale, of theexpansion-cylinder of the engine and the valve-chest thereof. Fig. 6 isa vertical sectional view of the same, taken in the line y y of Fig. 5.Fig. 7 is a face view or elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 5 and 6.Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional View of the valves and valve-chest of theexpansion-cylinder, taken in the line a; 00 of Fig. 5. Figs. 9 to 12,inclusive, illustrate the construction and arrangement of the valves andvalve-chests of each of the high-pressure cylinders of the engine, thesaid parts being the same for each high-pressure cylinder, except in themechanical details necessarily implied by the fact that the twovalve-chests are placed at opposite sides of the valve-chest of thelowpressure or expansion cylinder, Fig. 9 being a plan view, Fig. 10 avertical sectional view taken in the line y y of Fig. 9, Fig. 11 a faceView or elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 9, and Fig. 12 a verticalsectional view taken in the line w as of Fig. 9. Fig. 13 is a detailview of one part of the valve-operatingmechanism shown in Fig. 1.

It is well known to those conversant with the production and use ofmotive power that while many attempts have been made to utilize theso-called compound principle in explosive-engines in order to expand acompressed charge to a greater volume than that existing beforecompression, such projects have heretofore met with only a very slightand practically useless measure of success. This has been due in part tothe fact that the principles necessarily involved in compounding in thisclass of motors have not been thoroughly understood and in part to thefurther fact that means for insuring a properly-balanced action of theoperative and moving parts of the engine during all the stages of thecycles involved in compounding have not been available in the art.

My invention is based upon a more exact and extended application of thescientific principles involved in compounding in explosive-motors, andit combines certain novel combinations of parts whereby an effectivebalance in all the parts of the engine when in operation is secured andwhereby I produce a motor which in its structure and operation is notonly adapted for use as a gasengine within the usual meaning of thatterm, but also foruse with compressed explosive mixtures derived fromsafe petroleum or similar oils, thereby rectifying in a most importantdegree the unstable and unreliable character heretofore attributed, andjustly so, to the class of explosion-motors known as oil-engines.

The engine is provided with a suitable base W and with a framework forthe support of its various parts. As said base and frame work may be ofany suitable character and requires only the exercise in construction ofordinary workshop skill, the same needs no special description here.

The engine comprises, among other things, two high-pressure cylinders Aand B and an expansion-cylinder G, which are placed in the same plane,or substantially so, the expansion-cylinder being placed between thetwohigh-pressure cylinders, the longitudinal axes of the three cylindersbeing parallel, or practically so, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Theexpansion-cylinder is arranged to alternately receive the exhausts fromthe two high-pressure cylinders. The cubic contents of theexpansion-cylinderbears,loroadly considered, a certain relation or ratioto the aggregate of the cubic contents of the two high-pressurecylinders. While this ratio may vary somewhat without departing from myinvention, it may be stated that the working space within theexpansion-cylinder should, as nearly as may be, equal twice the sum ofthe working spaces of the two high-pressure cylinders. The purpose andresults of this will hereinafter presently appear.

A and B are the working pistons of the two high-pressure cylinders A andB, respectively, and C is that of the expansion-cylinder 0. As shown inthe drawings, all the pistons are of the trunk variety, theirconnectlug-rods being shown at a, b, and 0, respectively.

All the aforesaid pistons are arranged to actuate and be actuated bycranks on a drivingshaft D, which latter is arranged at right angles tothe three cylinders, as shown more fully in Fig. 1. The wrist d of thecrank D of said shaft D connects with the connecting-rod a of thehigh-pressure piston A of the high-pressure cylinderA and the wrist (Zof the crank D with the connecting-rod b of the high-pres sure piston Bof the high-pressure cylinder B. The connecting-rod c of theexpansionpiston O connects with the wrist c of the crank I) of this sameshaft D. The throw of the crank D is greater than that of the cranks D DBy this means I obtain a greater speed of the expansion-piston C and alonger expansion-cylinder than would otherwise be available, the objectsand advantages of which hereinafter presently appear. The pistons of thecranks on the drivingshaft D are such that at a certain stage in eachcomplete operation of the engine the two high-pressure pistons fordifferent purposes will be at or near the top of their respectivecylinders, while at the same moment the expansion-piston will be at ornear the bottom of the expansion-cylinder, as illustrated in thesectional View Fig. 4: and indicated by the positions of the severalcranks in Fig. 1. The shaft 1) is of course journaled in suitablehearings or boxes provided to the base or to the framework of theengine.

The valves by which the motion of the engine is controlled are theinlet-valve H and outlet-valve H provided to each of the twohigh-pressure cylinders and located in the valve-chests E thereof, andthe inlet-valves I I and the exhaust-valve K of the expansioncylinder,placed in the valve-chest E of said expansion or lowpressure cylinder.The valves and valve-chests of the two high-pressure cylinders are alikeand operate in the same manner with reference to the expansioncylinder,but in alternation with each other. The high-pressure valves andvalve-seats are illustrated in Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive. Thelow-pressure or expansion valves and valveseats are shown in Figs. 5 to8, inclusive. In a general way the relations of the several valves tothe several cylinders are shown in dotted outline in Fig. l. The valves,as shown in the drawings, are puppet-valves worked from valve-stemshaving a rectilinear movement. The valve-stems which are ap purtenant tothe high-pressure cylinders A B are indicated by the reference-letter 6as in Figs. 10 and 12, and those appurtenant to the valves of theexpansion-cylinder are indicated by the reference-letter f, as in Figs.6 and 8.

The valves of the high-pressure cylinders and also of theexpansion-cylinder are actuated from cam devices on a counter-shaft F,which is arranged in suitable bearings provided to the frame of theengine and which is parallel with the driving-shaft D. The counter-shaftFis driven from the drivingshaft through the agency of a system ofgearing or equivalent means of transmitting motion. As shown in thedrawings Figs. 1 and 2, this system of gearing comprises a spurwheel afast on the driving-shaft D, an intermediate spur-wheel b, which gearswith another spur-wheel 0 on which or on the shaft of which is aspur-pinion 01 that in its turn meshes with a spur-wheel e on thecounter-shaft F. The several spur-wheels are so proportioned that thespeed of revolution of the counter-shaft is properly proportioned tothat of the driving-shaft to secure in the valves the requisite unisonof move ment and operation with reference to the movements and operationof the several pistons in their respective cylinders. Fast upon thecounter-shaft and arranged in due relation with the respectivevalve-stems c and f are cam devices which, as shown in the drawings, arecomposed of cam-disks G and M, one for each valve-stein. In one side ofeach of these disks G and M is a cam track or groove m. (Illustrated ina general way in the detail drawing Fig. 13.) Each of the valve-stems ofall the valves is connected at its lower end with a slide G. Theseslides move in fixed vertical guides G and to the lower end of eachslide G isprovided a downwardly-extended part G which has a laterally-extended stud g, which extends into the cam-track m of the adjacentcam-disk G or M, as the case may be. The cam-track m of each dish is soshaped as in the rotation of the disk to give the requisite movement ina vertical direction to the slide above, and consequently to thevalvestem and valve with which the slide is connected. By this means theseveral valves are operated in unison with each other and with thepiston movements, as required in the working or operation of the engine.As each cam-track m acts upon both the upper and lower surfaces of thestud g, according as the latter is moved upward or downward, it followsthat a positive movement is given to each valve, which insures itspositive action in point of time and motion with reference to othermoving parts of the engine.

At h is the inlet-port of the high-pressure cylinderA,and,correspoudinglyfl is the inletport of the high-pressure cylinder B.It is through these ports that the explosive material by which theengine is driven enters the high-pressure cylinders from any suit-ablesource of supply. The port 72. terminates in the valve-chest E and hasat its inner end a valve-seat 0., upon which is a valve H. From thissame valve-chest extends an outlet-port 12 which has at its inner end avalve-seat b,

communicating with the valve-chest of the expansion-cylinder by apassage m corre sponding with the passage m from the cylinder A andhaving a valve-seatj anda valve 1 which correspond to the valve-seatjandv valve I, which cooperate with the cylinder A, as hereinbeforeexplained. In other words, the high-pressure cylinder B has ports andvalves corresponding to those of the cylinder A-that is to say, aninlet-port for the admission of the explosive material, which has avalve-seat upon which is a valve, an exhaustport which connects with theexpansion-cylinder by a suitable passage, as shown at m withavalve-seat, (markedj j) upon which is a valve 1 The expansion-cylinderhas an exhaust-port is, controlled by a valve K.

It will be observed that the admission of the explosive material to eachhigh-pressure cylinder is controlled by its valve H and that theexpulsion of the exploded charge toward the expansion-cylinder iscontrolled by its valve H also that the admission alternately from eachhigh-pressure cylinder of the exploded charges from the high-pressurecylinders to the expansion-cylinder is controlled by the valves I I ofthe latter and that the explosion of the exhausted products of explosion from the expansion-cylinder is controlled by the valve K. The stemse of the valves of the high-pressure cylinders being connected, ashereinbefore explained, with the camtracks m of the disks G, and thestems f of 4 the expansion-cylinder with the cam-tracks of the disksM,the several valves are actuated by a positive motion from the disksand in unison with each other and with the movements of the severalpistons as required in the use and operation of the engine.

Assuming the pistons of the three cylinders to be, for example, in thepositions shown in Fig. 4 and indicated by the positions of the cranksin Fig. 1, the operation of the engine is as follows: The piston A ofthe highpressure cylinder A, actuated by the crank D, makes anoutstroke-i. e., a downward movement-thereby drawing in the charge ofexplosive material behind it. Simultaneously with this the piston B ofthe high-pressure cylinder B makes an outstroke due to the impellingeffect of the explosion of the compressed explosive behind it andafiording motion to the crank D, and consequently to the shaft D. Theenergized outstroke of the piston B of the cylinder B thus coincides intime and movement with the indrawing or pumping action of the piston Ain the cylinder A. When the outstroke of the piston A has reached itslimit, its movement is reversed by the impelling action of the crank D,and the indrawn explosive behind it is thus compressed simultaneouslywith this compressing action of the said piston A. Meanwhile theoutstroke of the piston B having reached its limit, the motion of thesaid piston is reversed, and its instroke thereupon exhausts theexploded charge behind it into the low-pressure or expansion cylinder 0,the crank D on the shaft D meanwhile carrying the piston O of thelow-pressure cylinder in the reverse direction to the limit of itsinstroke, at which it is met by the exhaust under pressure from thecylinder B, thereby giving it an energized outstroke, the power of whichis of course transmitted to the crank D and consequently to the drivingor main shaft D, to supplement the action of the pistons A and B inconnection with the said shaft. These last-mentioned instroke movementsof the pistons A and B being completed, the compressed charge ofexplosive behind the piston A is exploded, thereby producing another andenergized outstroke sition so that the return or succeeding in-- strokeof this piston A exhausts the exploded charge behind it under pressureinto the lowpressure cylinder 0, which gives an energized outstroke tothe piston O of said low-pressure cylinder, the energy of which is ofcourse transmitted to the main shaft D. Simultaneous with this thepiston B of the cylinder B makes its instroke to compress the explosivematerial behind it, thereby completing the cycle of operations of theenginein other words, bringing the parts to the positions firstdescribed, ready for a repetition of the movements just explained, andso on indefinitely.

To recapitulate, the relative movements and operations of the pistons ofthe three cylinders in a complete cycle of the working of the engine maybe summarized as folllows:

- Piston of low-pres- Piston of high-pres- Piston of hl hsnre cylinderA. igfiiggg pressure cylin er B.

1. Outstroke drawing Instroke expelling Outstroke explodin charge ofexspent charge. ing charge. plosive.

2. Instroke compress- Outstroke ener Instroke exhaustin g e xp 1 0 s i ve gized by exhaust ing into expancharge. from high-pression-cylinder C.

sure cylinder B.

3. Outstroke explod- Instroke expelling Outstroke drawing ing charge.spent charge. in charge of explosive.

4. Instroke exhausting Outstroke ener- Instroke compressintoexpansiongized by exhaust ing explosive cylinder 0. fromhigh-prescharge.

sure cylinder A.

The relative proportions between the capacity or cubic contents of theexpansion-cylinder and those of the high-pressure cylinders,hereinbefore set forth, provide a stable relation between the work ofeach high-pressure cylinder and that of the expansion-cylinder inutilizing the exhaust under pressure from such high-pressure cylinder.Simultaneously with this the greater speed of the lowpressure piston,due to its greater stroke in the same time with the shorter strokes ofthe low-pressure pistons, prevents any rhythmic or concordant vibrationsfrom being set up in the parts by reason of their simultaneous motion,the vibrations due to the regular stroke of the low-pressure pistonbeing dissonant to those of the equally regular strokes of thelow-pressure pistons, the two series of vibrations thus neutralizingeach other, and, in connection with the graduated relations of thecontents of the low-pressu re cylinder and of the high-pressurecylinders, insuring a great firmness and stability to the engine when inoperation, and thereby contributing greatly to its efficiency anddurability. The three cylinders being arranged side by side, with thelarger or low-pressure cylinder between them, enables the cylinders tomutually support each other and greatly strengthen each in its fixedrelation with the others, while the arrangement of the valve-chests inline, or substantially so, with each other greatly simplifies thestructure of the valvebperating mechanisms and enables them to beactuated from a single shaft common to all, and, as a counter-shaft tothe drawing crank-shaft, easily connected with and conveniently operatedfrom the latter.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination with twohigh-pressure cylinders and their respective pistons placed in, orsubstantially in, the same plane, of a low-pressure cylinder placedbetween the two high-pressure cylinders and having a cubic contentssubstantially equal to twice the aggregate of the cubic contents of saidtwo cylinders, a low-pressure piston placed in the low-pressure cylinderand arranged to have a stroke longer than the stroke of the highpressurepistons, and a driving crank-shaft the cranks whereof are proportionedto the difference between the longer stroke of the low-pressure pistonand the shorter strokes of the high-pressure pistons, substantially asherein set forth.

2. The combination with two high-pressure cylinders, their respectivepistons, alow-pressure cylinder placed between and in the same, orsubstantially the same,plane with the highpressure cylinders and havinga cubic con- 6o tents the same or substantially the same as twice theaggregate of the cubic contents of the two high-pressure cylinders, alow pressure piston in the low-pressure cylinder constructed andarranged to have a stroke longer than the stroke of the pistons in thehighpressure cylinders, valve-chests provided to the several cylindersand substantially inline with each other, and valves arranged foroperati on in said valve-chests,of a drivin gc ran kshaft thecrank-wrists of which have throws proportioned to the difference betweenthe stroke of the low-pressure piston and the strokes of the high-pressure pistons,a countershaft parallel with the driving-shaft, asys tom of gearing for transmitting motion from the driving-shaft to thecounter-shaft, a system of cam mechanism fast on the counter shaft, anddevices for transmitting motion from said cam mechanism to the valves inSo the valve-chests, substantially as herein set forth.

3. The combination with two high-pressure cylinders, their respectivepistons,a low-pressure cylinder placed between and in the same, 8

or substantially the same plane with the two high-pressure cylinders andhaving a cubic contents the same or substantially the same as twice theaggregate of the cubic contents of the two high-pressure cylinders, alowpressure piston in the low-pressure cylinder constructed and arrangedto have a stroke longer than the stroke of the pistons of thelow-pressure cylinders, valve-chests provided to the several cylindersand substantially in line with each other, and valves arranged foroperation in the said valve-chests, of a driving crank shaft thecrankwrists of which have throws proportioned to the difierence betweenthe stroke of the low-pressure pis-- ton and the strokes of thehigh-pressure pis= 'tons, a counter-shaft parallel with thedriving-shaft, a system of gearing for transmitting motion from thedriving-shaft to the counter-shaft, a series of cam-disks fast on thecounter-shaft, each cam-disk constructed with a cam-track in one of itslateral faces, slides each constructed at one end with a lateral studwhich works in the cam-track of an adjacent cam-disk, and atthe other isconno JOHN A. SECOR.

Witnesses:

BENJ. W. CARLL, Tnos. P. MACKENNA.

